Cigarette container and dispenser



May 23, 1933.

A. C. GRUNWALD CIGARETTE CONTAINER AND DISPENSER JRUIZ 3 22 -516567 Gzgcfizcdald 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1932 Z (LM May 23, 1933. c GRUNWALD 1,910,209

CIGARETTE CONTAINER AND DISPENSER Filed Jan. 11, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 movable pan for the humidifier Patented May 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT C. GRUN'WALD, 0] RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PRECISION METAL I WO OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS cream commmna AND DISPENSER Application filed January 11, 1882. Serial No. 585,846.

My invention relates to a cigarette container and dispenser; the invention being concerned with the provision of a devlce of this class which is of goodappearance, easy to operate, which operates without injury to the cigarettes being dispensed, and which is economical to manufacture.

One of the salient features of the present invention is a novel cigarette, ejector which swings in an arcuate path, which, each time it is o erated, removes -a single cigarette from t e receptacle, and which normally constitutes a part of the bottom closure of the receptacle.

Another salient feature of the invention is an agitator which preferably is in the form of a downwardly curved and pivotally mounted movable support for the bulkof the cigarettes within the receptacle, this agitator being moved to shake the remaining supply of cigarettes each time the ejector is actuated.

Other features, objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following detailed description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a perspective view of a cigarette container and dispenser embodying the improvements of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the container cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the same with certain parts broken away and shown in section, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but illustrating the parts as they appear when the ejector is pressed inwardly from its normal position;

Fig. 6 is an isolated detail view of the cigarette receptacle;

Fig. 7 is an isolated detail view of the ejector;

Fig. 8 is an isolated detail view of the removable container top and Fig. 9 is an isolated detail view ofl the rea Similar characters of feferencg refer to similar parts throughout the several views;

In the drawings reference numeral 10 indicates a sheet metal container having a transversely elongated slot 11 formed in the lower portion of its front wall, said container resting on asuitable base 12 and embracing the upwardly rising portion 12a thereof. The portion 121 of the base conveniently is provided on its front face with a horizontal groove 13, and on its sides and back with a horizontal shoulder 14, for cooperation with the lower edges of the container as shown; the container conveniently being held on the base by a screw bolt and nut 15, as shown in Fig. 4.

The rear wall of the container 10 may extend upwardly from the other walls thereof, as indicated at 16, and may be suitably headed to stiffen it and improve its appearance. The container 10 is rovided with a removable sheet metal top 1; having flanges 18 adapted to embrace the front and side Walls of the container, the top 17 also having downturned lugs 19 adapted frictionally to engage integral loops 20 which are struck forwardly from the rear wall of the container (see Figs. 2 and 3).

Disposed within the container, and conveniently secured to the rear wall. thereof by rivets 21, is a cigarette receptacle 22, the

vide front, rear and side walls, forwardly projecting spaced flan es 23, formed integrally with the rear wall, and a downwardly and inwardly curved lip 24 constituting the lower margin of the front wall (see Fig. 6). The flanges 23, as well as the lower edges of the side walls of the receptacle 22, are curved in an arc having as its center a line extending through both of the apertures 25 formed in the upper portions of the side walls of receptacle 22. The forward edges of flanges 23, and the lip 24, define a transversely elongated opening 26, through which cigarettes may drop upon the operation of the ejector, presently to be described, the space 27 between flanges 23 serving to accommodate the agitator operating lug of the ejector.

The ejector, shown in detail in Fi 7, consists of a single piece of metal an includes a laterally elongated horizontal portion 28, having a fore and aft curvature corresponding to that of the flan cs 23 of receptacle 22, arms 29 turned up rom the lateral margins of portion 28, downwardly and upwardly curved cigarette carrier members 30, and a lug 31 struck upwardly from portion 28. The carrier members 30 are se arated by a notch 32 of substantial wi th, and preferably are provided with marginal beads 33 against which the operator may press to operate the ejector. The downwardly curved portions of the carrier members 30 provide aligned grooves 34 adapted to accommodate one cigarette in the manner presently to be described.

The arms 29 of the ejector embrace the receptacle 22 and are adapted pivotally to move adjacent the outer surfaces of its side walls (i. e. in the spaces between the side Walls of container 10 and receptacle 22). The pivotal mounting of ejector arms 29 is afforded by trunnions 35, which may be riveted in the apertures 25 of the receptacle side walls. When the ejector is thus mounted on receptacle 22, the portion 28 of the ejector is adapted to move under and close- 1y adjacent to the curved flanges 23 of the receptacle 22, and the lug 31 of the ejector is adapted to extend upwardly through the space 27 between the flanges 23. The pertions 30 of the ejector, and their integral beads 33 project freely through the front opening 11 of the container 10.

The ejector is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 4 by springs 36; each of said springs being turned around one of the trunnions 35 and having one extremity bearing against its associated ejector arm 29, and its other extremity bearing against the rear wall of container 10.

Pivotally mounted within the receptacle 22 is an agitator 37 which, in effect, constitutes a movable false bottom for receptacle 22, said agitator being in the form of a plate pivoted by a pin 38 and curved downwardly and forwardly from its pivot, as indicated at 39, to terminate in a forwardly and downwardly inclined lip 40.

Let us assume that the receptacle 22 contains a supply of cigarettes and that the ejector is in its normal (forward) position with no cigarette in the embrace of its carrier groves 34. In this position of the ejector, its portion 28 closes the space 26 between the flanges 23 and lip 24 of receptacle 22. When a cigarette is to be removed from the receptacle, the ejector is moved rearwardly by pressure on one of its marginal beads 33, to the position shown in Fig. 5. As the ejector moves rearwardly from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 5, the lug 31 of the ejector moves away from the Ii 40 of the agitator and permits'this lip to rep against the proximate edges of the flanges 23, thus permitting one cigarette to drop upon the portion 28 of the ejector. When the ejector reaches the position of Fig. 5, the said one cigarette drops into the carrier grooves 34 of the ejector, as illustrated in Fig. 5. As soon as the ejector is released by the operator, it is quickly returned to the position of Fig. 4, carrying with it the cigarette dis osed in its carrier grooves 34, from whic the cigarette readily may be removed by reason of the relatively wide notch 32 which permits the grasping of the cigarette between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. As the ejector returns to its normal position, the portion 28 thereof closes the space 26 between the flanges 23 and. lip 24 and, as so n as lug 31 engages the lip 40 of the agitator, the latter is sharply swung upwardly to agitate and shake down the cigarettes remaining in the receptacle 22. This operation is repeated each time the ejector is actuated.

In order to humidify the cigarettes contained within the receptacle 22, I prefer to insert into the hollow portion 12a of the base a small pan 41 carrying a moistened lpad 42. The pan ma be removably press tted in position as s own, and if desired may be notched to accommodate the inner end of the screw which holds the container 10 upon its base.

Having thus illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a cigarette receptacle having a bottom which is arcuateiy convex on its under surface and provided with an elongated opening, and an ejector movable adjacent said convex bottom and pivoted for movement around an axis with which said convex surface is concentric, said ejector comprising a closure portion and a carrier portion adapted to be moved into registry with said opening to receive a cigarette therefrom, yielding means normally acting to hold said ejector in the position wherein its closure portion lies opposite said opening, a fore and aft slot in said bottom intersecting the elongated opening aforesaid, and a lug formed on said ejector projecting through and movable in said slot to guide the ejector and to agitate the contents of the receptacle,

2. In a cigarette container and dispenser, a receptacle having an elongated opening in its bottom, and an ejector pivoted to the receptacle above the bottom thereof and comprising closure and carrier portions movable across said opening and adjacent to the exterior of said bottom, said carrier portion of the ejector being adapted to receive a cigarette from said opening when the closure portion of the ejector is moved out of registry therewith, and 'elding means normally acting to hold sai ejector in the position where its closure portion lies over said opening, a pivoted agitator whereon some of the cigarettes in the receptacle rest, and means for actuating said agitator when the 10 ejector is moved relatively to the receptacle. 3. In a cigarette container and dis user, a receptacle having a sheet metal ottom curving downwardly from its front and rear walls to a transversely elongated opening an ejector movable adjacent the exterior oi said bottom and acrosssaid opening, said ejector being pivoted above the bottom of the receptacle and conformed to provide a closure portion and a depressed carrier portion, spring means normally holding the ejector in the position where its closure ortion lies over said opening, a slot in the ottom of the receptacle at right angles to said opening, a lug on the ejector extending through said slot, and an agitator within the receptacle adapted to be engaged and actuated by said lug when the ejector is operated.

4. In combination with a container having anopening in the lower portion of its front wall, a cigarette receptacle disposed in said container and having its side walls spaced from the side walls of the container, the bottom of the receptaclebeing above the bottom of the container opening aforesaid, there being a transversely elongated open: ing in the bottom of the receptacle, and an ejector movable adjacent the under surface. of the receptacle bottom, and across said receptacle opening, said ejector comprising: a closure portion adapted to overlie the receptacle opening, a depressed carrier portion adapted to receive a cigarette from the receptacle opening when in registry therewith, an operating portion, and u wardly extendin arms operating between e spaced walls'ot the container and the receptacle and there pivoted above the bottom of the receptacle.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th-day of January, 1932. ALBERT C. GRUNWALD. 

